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Mail order madness: You parcel HASN’T been left in a safe place

By Jonathan Ratcliffe

Busy couriers are leaving parcels in bins, in gardens and under cars  Christmas 2017 is the year that the Festive Season arrived by mail order. However, in many cases the deliveries aren’t quite getting through, and it’s driving customers up the wall. That’s the findings of a national CCTV installer which has been collecting tales ... Read more


Busy couriers are leaving parcels in bins, in gardens and under cars 

Christmas 2017 is the year that the Festive Season arrived by mail order. However, in many cases the deliveries aren’t quite getting through, and it’s driving customers up the wall.

That’s the findings of a national CCTV installer which has been collecting tales of customer outrage after couriers and postal workers have failed in the final hurdle – trying to find a safe place for a package when there’s nobody at home.

According to Yorkshire-based CCTV.co.uk, people have not only had parcels going missing altogether, but have arrived home to find them in the most ridiculous locations, such as bins, flower pots and under cars.

“Britain is spending literally billions of pounds on a mail order Christmas thanks to the internet,” says CCTV.co.uk spokesperson Jonathan Ratcliffe, “But there’s growing anger that delivery company just aren’t …err… delivering.”

With British shoppers expected to spend around £25bn online in the run-up to Christmas this year[1], CCTV.co.uk says that perplexed buyers would like to know where their deliveries are ending up.

“We pity the couriers who are putting in long days under extreme pressure from their bosses,” says Ratcliffe, so often they’ve got little choice but to think on their feet to make sure the parcel is delivered.

“The trouble is, with limited options, their chosen solution is sometimes not the best.”

Here are some of the best stories we’ve heard to far:

  • “In the shed. Except the shed was locked and was still locked when I got home. It’s like one of those Sherlock Holmes locked room mysteries”
  • “Under the doormat – An arrangement that worked fine for books and CDs, but not so well for our new food mixer. It’s probably halfway to a man in the pub by now.”
  • “We got a card from the postman saying a parcel was ‘under the plant’. He had literally lifted up a large plant pot and put the parcel underneath. He must have had the strength of The Hulk.”
  • “In the bin. On bin day. Luckily the bin men had already been.”
  • “They left a card saying it was over the garden gate. You guessed it – into next door’s garden.”
  • “In the dog kennel. It was clothes, and the dog ripped open the parcel and made a lovely bed out of my new party dress!”
  • “Of course the logical place to leave a parcel is under your car. I didn’t know until I had driven over it, twice.”
  • “Do you have a water butt in your garden? Put a big brick on the lid or something, that’s all I’m saying. But we’ve got everything on CCTV footage, and it’s hilarious.”

CCTV.co.uk has three useful tips householders can take to ensure their deliveries aren’t lost:

•    Make arrangements with a friend or neighbour to accept parcels when you’re not at home
•    Arrange a safe place with the courier company or postman where parcels can be placed out of sight from passers-by
•    Consider a click-and-collect service and receive your parcels at a neutral location at your convenience

“Lost deliveries are incredibly frustrating for shoppers at any time of year,” says Ratcliffe, “but it can be made many times worse at Christmas when your kiddie’s main present doesn’t show up or is completely wrecked.”

“Take a few simple steps and your Festive Season won’t be spoiled by a failed delivery.”

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BY Jonathan Ratcliffe

Jonathan manages Marketing at CCTV.co.uk - with over 15 years experience in CCTV Installation - he writes as an Expert in CCTV Systems, News, Crime Rate Analysis and other FAQs

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